Akari wallops for PVL leadership against youth-laden ZUS Coffee

Games on Thursday
(Filoil EcoOil Arena)
4 p.m. – Choco Mucho vs Galeries Tower
6:30 p.m. – Akari vs ZUS Coffee

AKARI shoots for the solo lead while ZUS Coffee breaks in Thea Gagate as they clash Thursday in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

The Chargers, the Reinforced Conference runners-up, set in motion their ambitious title bid by turning back the Galeries Tower Highrisers, 28-30, 5-15, 25-16, 25-23, in Saturday’s opener at the PhilSports Arena and should come in locked and loaded when they face off the Thunderbelles at 6:30 p.m.

Faith Nisperos, back in the fold along with Fifi Sharma after their Alas Pilipinas stints early in the year, said she hoped she could help Akari replicate, if not surpass, the franchise’s finals finish a conference ago.

Ms. Nisperos shone with a 16-point performance on her much awaited comeback.

Interestingly, ZUS will parade its prized neophyte in Thea Gagate, Mses. Nisperos and Sharma’s teammates at Alas whom the Thunderbelles picked first overall in the league’s historic rookie draft early this year.

Apart from Ms. Gagate, ZUS has also tapped veterans Jovelyn Gonzaga and Glaudine Troncoso to spearhead a youth-laden team that also included NCAA MVP Cloanne Mondonedo, Gayle Pascual, Michelle Gamit and Jade Gentapa, who were all part of that unbeaten three-peat NCAA champion College of St. Benilde.

Meanwhile, Galeries Tower will have newly acquired Joanne Maraguinot, formerly of Nxled, when it tackles Choco Mucho at 4 p.m.

Both the Highrisers and the Flying Titans are eyeing their first win after falling in their first outings. — Joey Villar